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Substance Use by Immigrant Generation in a U.S.-Mexico Border City
Oralia Loza1, Ernesto Castañeda2, Brian Diedrich3
1Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, 500 W. University Avenue (HSN 405), El Paso, TX, 79968, USA. oloza@utep.edu.
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
|March 26, 2016
Summary
Substance use is lower among recent immigrants. This study found that as immigrant generation status increases, substance use rises, but perceived problems with use decrease in El Paso, Texas.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Substance use surveillance data are limited at the city level, particularly for Hispanic populations.
- No systematic data collection exists for substance use in El Paso, Texas.
- Immigrant generation status is known to influence substance use patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the prevalence of substance use among Hispanic residents in El Paso, Texas.
- To examine the association between immigrant generation status and substance use.
- To compare El Paso's substance use rates with state and national data.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving interviews with 837 Hispanic residents of El Paso.
- Data collection included demographics, immigration history, and substance use behaviors.
- Bivariate analysis was used to assess relationships between variables.
Main Results:
- Substance use increased with higher immigrant generation status.
- Perceived problems associated with substance use decreased as immigrant generation status increased.
- Rates of tobacco, marijuana, and illicit drug use were lower in El Paso young adults compared to Texas and national data.
Conclusions:
- Immigrant generation is a significant factor in substance use patterns among Hispanics in El Paso.
- El Paso Hispanic young adults exhibit lower substance use rates than state and national averages.
- Further research is needed to understand the protective factors influencing lower substance use in this population.
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